Trying to increase the number of cars? Use a mobile website, but don’t make these mistakes

Everyone is quite familiar with the Internet and websites. After all, just 10 years ago you probably didn’t dream of doing your banking online or booking hotels and vacations through a website. Now, it’s a common occurrence and almost ‘second nature’ and has become the ‘normal’ way of doing business.

But understand that just because you have a website doesn’t mean it’s optimized for the mobile web. Optimizing a website for the mobile web really means creating a stripped-down version of your existing website that provides only the most important information about your auto service shop. That is, how to contact you and find you.

When you’re setting up your mobile website, make sure you don’t make these common mistakes:

Don’t try to direct mobile visitors to your regular website. Internet experts are really saying that there are two Internets; One for the desktop or laptop user; the other for the mobile user. Understand that while smartphone users can ‘pinch’ and ‘squeeze’ pages to zoom in and read them, most simply click. Above that, your regular website takes too long to load. If you want to succeed in the mobile world, you must start by respecting your visitors’ time and bandwidth consumption. Make your site mobile with smaller pages and faster loading.

Don’t make visitors dial the phone to talk to you or write down a number where they can text you. Your mobile website should use scripts and links that automatically allow visitors to ‘tap’ or click to call you. The link automatically displays your phone with your phone number filled in. They just have to press the ‘send’ button! Similarly, you can add links to allow them to ‘send text messages’ directly to your phone. Just like phone links, the user is taken to your text message with their number already in the right field! (What a great way to start a conversation and a personal relationship with your customers and prospects!)

Don’t make the mobile user guess. When mobile users visit a mobile website, they are looking for the facts; Just the facts, ma’am, just the facts! Don’t make them guess where to find you. Provide interactive maps so they can get directions or other information (if they want or need to). In short, make it easy. The litmus test is getting someone who doesn’t know who or where you are and asking how long it took her to get what she needs. When it comes to mobile websites, usability isn’t just an issue, it’s a big issue. Otherwise, visitors just click.

When building your mobile website, remember that your visitors really only want the basic data to be able to contact you. Keep pages short, fast-loading, and provide the information your visitor needs to call, text, or visit you.